FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Cottontail. — Sylvilagus floridanus 



and related forms 



Names. — Cottontail; Cottontail Rabbit; Wood Rabbit. 

 General Description. — Of small or medium size; hind legs 

 long, but not so well developed as in the Jack Rabbits; 



Fig. 105. Cottontail 



ears large but not excessively developed; tail short, with con- 

 spicuous white underside; pelage full and soft, brownish above, 

 white below. Plate XXXVI. 



Color. — Sexes colored alike. 



Upperparts. — Varying from dark buffy brown with reddish 

 tinge to brown with grayish wash; sides, rump, and back 

 finely sprinkled with black; nape rich rufous; forelegs dark 

 cinnamon-rufous, forefeet more bufify than legs; lower hind 

 legs intensely dark rufous; tail above, rusty brown, below, 

 clear white ; ears dark grayish buffy bordered with black. 



Underparts. — White, except for dark ochraceous buflfy 

 throat area. 



Young. — Yellowish buffy brown, no appreciable rump 

 patch; rusty brown on nape and upperside of tail. 



Measurements. — Total length, 14-15 inches; tail vertebrae, 

 1.8 inches; hind foot, 3.6 inches; ear from notch, 2.2 inches. 



Geographical Distribution. — North America, from Canada 

 southward, 



494 



